The Top Eight Hot Spots for Germs and Bacteria in the

Office

Office Hygiene

We would all like to believe our office is a clean and tidy temple of We would all like to believe our office is a clean and tidy temple of productivity; free from nasty germs and bacteria that can make us productivity; free from nasty germs and bacteria that can make us ill and inefficient. ill and inefficient.

However, this ideal is far from reality for most of us. The average However, this ideal is far from reality for most of us. The average office accommodates hundreds of times more bacteria than a office accommodates hundreds of times more bacteria than a toilet seat. Yes, you heard correct, a toilet seat! To put their toilet seat. Yes, you heard correct, a toilet seat! To put their veritable feast in perspective, around 21,000 germs per square veritable feast in perspective, around 21,000 germs per square inch are found on work desks. A number that is hard to quantify inch are found on work desks. A number that is hard to quantify when you consider the size of your desk. when you consider the size of your desk.

To help improve the level of cleanliness and hygiene in your office, To help improve the level of cleanliness and hygiene in your office, we’ve identified eight prominent hotspots for germs where you we’ve identified eight prominent hotspots for germs where you and your staff need to focus on when cleaning. and your staff need to focus on when cleaning.

Door Handles

It’s highly likely that every It’s highly likely that every person coming in and out of person coming in and out of your office will touch the your office will touch the door handles at least once, door handles at least once, especially the bathroom’s. especially the bathroom’s.

So, even if your staff are So, even if your staff are hygienic (or state they are!) hygienic (or state they are!) and wash their hands and wash their hands properly, the door handles properly, the door handles can easily become a can easily become a contamination area for contamination area for germs and diseases. germs and diseases.

Ensure your door handles Ensure your door handles are thoroughly cleaned on a are thoroughly cleaned on a daily basis to prevent germs daily basis to prevent germs from breeding and from breeding and spreading.spreading.

Image from taberandrew.

The Coffee Machine

If just one person uses If just one person uses the coffee machine the coffee machine without having cleaned without having cleaned their hands, there’s a their hands, there’s a very good chance the very good chance the next person who uses it next person who uses it will be contaminated will be contaminated with their germs.with their germs.

As well as regularly As well as regularly cleaning your coffee cleaning your coffee machine, you could machine, you could also think about adding also think about adding a sign reminding people a sign reminding people to clean their hands to clean their hands before using it.before using it.

Stationery

Most of us have been Most of us have been guilty of chewing on guilty of chewing on pens or other bits of pens or other bits of stationery at one point stationery at one point or another.or another.

To help prevent the To help prevent the spread of germs, we spread of germs, we recommend everyone recommend everyone has their own has their own stationery so they can stationery so they can chew away to their chew away to their hearts content, hearts content, without the danger of without the danger of infecting everyone infecting everyone else with their germs!else with their germs!

Image from mrbill.

The Microwave

The microwave is another The microwave is another office hot spot that most of office hot spot that most of your staff will use on a daily your staff will use on a daily basis.basis.

It’s essential to remind It’s essential to remind everyone of just how everyone of just how important it is to properly important it is to properly wash and dry your hands wash and dry your hands before you sit down to have before you sit down to have lunch, as eating with dirty lunch, as eating with dirty hands is an easy way for hands is an easy way for bacteria to enter your body. bacteria to enter your body.

Image from JMV.

The Water Cooler

The spout and internal The spout and internal mechanisms of most water mechanisms of most water coolers are breeding grounds coolers are breeding grounds for a variety of persistent germs for a variety of persistent germs and bacteria.and bacteria.

To stop germs spreading, we To stop germs spreading, we suggest that you clean your suggest that you clean your water cooler on a daily basis water cooler on a daily basis and encourage your staff to and encourage your staff to dispose of empty cups properly.dispose of empty cups properly.

Carpets

Carpets easily collect dirt and Carpets easily collect dirt and germs from every visitor to germs from every visitor to your office.your office.

To keep your carpets clean To keep your carpets clean and free from bacteria, we and free from bacteria, we recommend intensive steam recommend intensive steam cleaning at least once every cleaning at least once every two months to eradicate two months to eradicate germs, as well as to ensure germs, as well as to ensure your office space looks your office space looks hygienic and presentable. hygienic and presentable.

The Bathroom

Unfortunately, the Unfortunately, the majority of office workers majority of office workers in the UK don’t wash in the UK don’t wash their hands properly their hands properly when they visit the when they visit the bathroom.bathroom.

To make sure that To make sure that youryour staff do, provide signs staff do, provide signs reminding everyone of reminding everyone of just how important it is to just how important it is to ensure your hands are ensure your hands are suitably washed and suitably washed and dryed after visiting the dryed after visiting the loos.loos.

If you have toilets that If you have toilets that are often used by are often used by members of the public, members of the public, we recommend cleaning we recommend cleaning them at least once every them at least once every hour.hour.

Advice

If you would like advice on how to improve hygiene standards in If you would like advice on how to improve hygiene standards in your office, get in touch with our your office, get in touch with our facilities teamfacilities team..

To see just how easily germs can spread around the office, have a To see just how easily germs can spread around the office, have a look at our ‘look at our ‘Hidden DangersHidden Dangers’ video. ’ video.

Happy cleaning! Happy cleaning!

The Albany TeamThe Albany Team